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1 Council of the European Union, 15 January 2016 (OR. en) 5308/16 OUTCOME OF PROCEEDINGS From: On: 14 January 2016 To: Subject: LIMITE JAI 31 ASIM 5 RELEX 32 COMIX 24 High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration (HLWG) / Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA) - Mixed Committee (UE-Iceland/Liechtenstein/Norway/Switzerland) Delegations Summary of discussions HLWG format 1. Programme of the Presidency The Chair presented the programme of the Presidency for the first half of 2016, the main features of which were already outlined at the meeting held on 10 December 2015 (15329/15). 2. Implementation of the Global Approach The Commission referred to the GAMM update, which outlines the state of play of dialogues and processes under the Global Approach (the GAMM update is set up in the Annex to this Note). Specific information was provided on the following items: By the Commission, on the outcome of the High Level Meeting on the Mobility Partnership EU-Armenia, held in on 9 December 2015; By HU and the Commission, on the outcome of the Senior Officials meeting of the Budapest Process, held in Budapest on December /16 MC/ml 1 DG D 1B LIMITE EN

2 3. Dialogues on Migration, Mobility and Security The Commission and EEAS provided information on the most recent developments of the dialogue concerning Lebanon and the Group had an exchange of views on the possible establishment of a Mobility Partnership. Delegations were given a deadline until 22 January to submit possible written comments. 4. Common Agendas on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) The Commission provided information on the state of play of the implementation of the CAMM with Ethiopia. 5. Tailor-made country packages: strategic discussion The Group had a strategic discussion on the tailor-made country packages, on the basis of a presentation made by the Commission and EEAS. The debate focused on the following issues: migration horizontal aspects in all the tailor-made packages; priority countries; possible leverages. The Group welcomed the approach and the suggestions of the EEAS and the Commission services. The follow-up will take place in the HLWG and will also be discussed in the relevant geographical Council working parties. The Chair stressed that the Presidency attaches the greatest importance to this subject and underlined the need to involve Member States in the work required for the development of tailor-made country packages by EEAS and the Commission. Following the agreement by Member States, the Chair, in close cooperation with the Commission and EEAS, will define a short list of priority countries. This list will be submitted to the Member States for endorsement. Following this endorsement, a consultation will be organised, with the objective of making a thorough assessment of the possible content of these packages for the selected priority countries. 5308/16 MC/ml 2 DG D 1B LIMITE EN

3 Finally, the Chair invited Member States to start liaising with all the competent national administrations in view of this consultation. The subject of the tailor-made country packages will be further addressed at the next HLWG meeting. HLWG + SCIFA / COMIX format 6. Trio of Presidencies' initiative: strategic coordination in the area of migration (NL, SK and MT) Following a debate, broad endorsement was expressed by delegations on the geographic and thematic priorities for the Council preparatory bodies in the area of migration for the present Trio of Presidencies outlined in the Presidency paper (5135/16). A revised paper will be submitted to COREPER and Council for final agreement. 7. Follow-up to the High-Level Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean/Western Balkans route (8 October 2015) Following interventions by the Commission and the EEAS, as well as by the former Luxembourg Presidency on the EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs of 7-8 December, a debate took place on the measures and policies to be adopted and implemented in order to ensure the follow-up to the Declaration adopted on 8 October 2015 (docs /15 and 15423/15 + ADD 1). Stressing that this subject is amongst the priorities of its work programme, the Chair concluded that it will liaise with the EEAS and the Commission in relation to the organisation of a follow-up meeting. 8. Follow-up to the Valletta Summit on migration (11-12 November 2015) Following interventions by the Commission and the EEAS, a debate took place on the measures and policies to be adopted and implemented in order to ensure the follow-up to the Action Plan and Political Declaration adopted in La Valletta on 12 November 2015 (docs /15 and 14145/15). 5308/16 MC/ml 3 DG D 1B LIMITE EN

4 On that occasion, the Chair of the HLWG also reported to SCIFA on the discussions in the preceding HLWG on the tailor-made country packages. The Chair stressed that the monitoring of the follow-up to the Valletta Summit will be one of the subjects included regularly in the agendas of the HLWG and SCIFA meetings. HLWG + SCIFA 9. Follow-up to the EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan Following interventions by the Commission and the EEAS, a debate took place on the measures and policies to be adopted and implemented in order to ensure the follow-up to the above joint action plan. In the framework of this item, EL provided information on the outcome of the meeting of the Greek-Turkish committee on the implementation of the bilateral readmission protocol, held in Athens on December The Chair stressed that the monitoring of the follow-up to the Joint Action Plan EU-Turkey will be one of the subjects included regularly in the agendas of the HLWG and SCIFA meetings. 10. Implementation of the EU-Pakistan readmission agreement Following interventions by the Commission and the EEAS, a debate took place on the state of play of the implementation of the EU-Pakistan readmission agreement. 5308/16 MC/ml 4 DG D 1B LIMITE EN

5 ANNEX GAMM UPDATE 12 January 2016 This document provides an updated overview of the main external migration dialogues and processes implemented in the framework of the EU Global Approach to Migration and Mobility (GAMM). The document is compiled for the information of the EU High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration by the responsible European Commission services, in association with the EEAS. Part 1- The regional processes (A) THE PRAGUE PROCESS The Prague Process is a framework for dialogue and cooperation between the EU and its Member States, the non-eu Schengen States and 19 partner countries to the East (Russia, Eastern Partnership countries, Central Asian countries, Western Balkan countries, Turkey). The work is based on the Joint Ministerial Declaration (Prague 2009) and the Action Plan , adopted at the second Ministerial Conference of the Prague Process (Poznan, 2011). 4 November 2011 Ministerial Conference, Poznan Adoption Action Plan July 2015 Senior Officials Meeting, Budapest 1st Preparatory Meeting for the 3rd Ministerial Conference in 2016 (evaluation of PP Action Plan ). Identification of topics for and funding of PP TI continuation after January November th Core Group Meeting, Bratislava Preparations of the agenda and topics of the concluding SOM of the Prague Process Targeted Initiative project; presentation and endorsement of PP TI results; 2nd Preparatory Meeting for the 3rd Ministerial Conference in December 2015 Senior Officials Meeting, Prague 2nd Preparatory Meeting for the 3rd Ministerial Conference in 2016: agenda, expected outcomes and Work Plan 2016 April/May th Core Group Meeting, Warsaw Fine-tuning of the agenda and topics of the concluding SOM of the Objective 3 of the Prague Process Targeted Initiative project; 5308/16 MC/ml 5

6 May/June 2016 Senior Officials Meeting, Kiev or Warsaw presentation and endorsement of PP TI results; 3rd Preparatory Meeting for the 3rd Ministerial Conference in 2016 Concluding Objective 3 of the Prague Process Targeted Initiative project; presentation and endorsement of PP TI results; 3nd Preparatory Meeting for the 3rd Ministerial Conference in 2016: final draft of the Ministerial document endorsed September th core Group Meeting, TBD Finalisation of the agenda and topics of concluding SOM PPTI project: presentation and endorsement of PPTI results: 4 th prep meeting for the 2016 ministerial 5 October 2016 Senior Officials Meeting, Bratislava Last comments to the Ministerial document and its finalisation for endorsement 6-7 October 2016 Ministerial Conference, Bratislava Adoption of results of PP TI, endorsement of the Ministerial document and agreement on the future of the Prague Process in the coming five years ( ) (B) THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP PANEL ON MIGRATION AND ASYLUM The Eastern Partnership is the framework for cooperation between the EU and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Joint Declarations were adopted at Eastern Partnership Summits of Prague (2009), Warsaw (2011) and Vilnius (2013) and Riga (2015). The dialogue on migration takes place in the context of the panel on Migration and Asylum, established in December 2011 which succeeds the work undertaken through the Söderköping process. 29 January 2015 Eastern Partnership JHA Ministerial Meeting, Riga October 2015 Expert workshop, Kiev Theme: Unaccompanied minor asylum seekers November th Panel on Migration and Asylum, Theme: Family reunification Tbilisi March/April th Panel on Migration and Asylum, Theme: Illegal migration Chisinau May/June 2016 Expert meeting, Stockholm Theme: Resettlement and relocation October/November 2016 Expert workshop, Riga Theme: on Information technology and migration management November/December th Panel on Migration and Asylum, Minsk Theme: migration strategies 5308/16 MC/ml 6

7 (C) THE AFRICA-EU MIGRATION AND MOBILITY DIALOGUE The Africa-EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue is the framework for dialogue and cooperation on migration issues between the EU and all African States. It was launched at the second Africa-EU Summit in December 2007 in Lisbon. The third Action Plan ( ) was adopted at the Africa-EU Summit on 2-3 April 2014 together with the Africa-EU Declaration on Migration and Mobility. 2-3 April 2014 EU-Africa Summit, Adoption of the next Action Plan and a Political Declaration on Migration and Mobility 21 April 2015 College-to-College (C2C) meeting, Early 2016 (D) THE RABAT PROCESS Joint Annual Forum, back to back with the core group meeting, place to be decided Migration was the first point on the agenda, a substantial paragraph on migration is included in the joint Declaration Review and assessment of implementation of the Roadmap and discussion of Roadmap strategic theme, discussion on Valletta implementation The Rabat process was launched at the first Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development that took place in July 2006 in Rabat. The process aims to enhance dialogue and cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination along the West African migration route. The fourth ministerial conference was held in Rome on in November 2014 where Ministerial Declaration and Action Plan for were adopted. 27 November th Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development, Rome June 2015 Thematic seminar on International protection, Rabat Steering Committee, Rabat 1-4 December 2015 Thematic meeting on trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants, Porto (co-chair Portugal and Niger) Senior Officials Meeting, Steering Committee, Porto Adoption of Rome Declaration Exchange of information and good practice among the Rabat Process partners 2 flagship projects were recommended, thematic meetings and proposals for trainings discussed Exchange of information and good practice among the Rabat Process partners Follow up to the Valletta Summit, adoption of the Porto Monitoring Plan, confirm thematic meetings and trainings, inform and consult countries outside the Steering Committee about developments since the last Ministerial 5308/16 MC/ml 7

8 (E) THE BUDAPEST PROCESS The Budapest Process was initiated in 1991 as a consultative forum, currently containing of more than 50 governments and 10 international organisations, aiming at developing comprehensive and sustainable systems for orderly migration. Within the Budapest Process, a Silk Routes Partnership for Migration was established at the Ministerial Conference held in Istanbul on 19 April The Istanbul Declaration sets out the main objectives and activities of the countries along this migratory route. 19 April 2013 Ministerial Conference, Istanbul Adoption of the Istanbul Declaration on "A Silk Routes Partnership for Migration" 9-10 December 2013 Senior Officials Meeting, Istanbul December 2014 Senior Officials Meeting, Istanbul March 2015 Fourth meeting of the Black sea Region working group, Sofia 8-12 June 2015 First annual meeting of the Silk Route region Working Group and third regional training of the Silk Route project (on irregular migration, migrants smuggling and trafficking, and readmission), Islamabad 6-8 October 2015 First meeting of the police cooperation network project under the Budapest process, Ankara November 2015 Second annual meeting of the Silk Route region Working Group and third regional training of the Silk Route project (migration and development), Dhaka Postponed Second meeting of the police cooperation network project under the Budapest process, location to be determined December 2015 Senior Officials Meeting, Budapest January 2016 Inauguration of Migration Information Centre in Lahore and Islamabad, Pakistan March 2016 Regional police cooperation guidelines drafting workshop, Warsaw May th Silk Route Working Group meeting July 2016 Guideline drafting workshop, Turkey 5-7 September 2016 Training on data assessment, Turkey October th Silk Route Working Group meeting November 2016 Regional training on selected fields of police cooperation, Turkey 8-9 December 2016 Senior Officials Meeting, Baku January 2017 Regional training on selected fields of police cooperation, Turkey January 2017 Screening of first episode of TV drama, Pakistan February 2017 Regional training on selected fields of police cooperation, Turkey March 2017 Final workshop of pilot project on initiating regional police cooperation, Turkey 5308/16 MC/ml 8

9 (F) THE KHARTOUM PROCESS The Khartoum Process (the EU Horn of Africa Migration Route Initiative) is a framework for dialogue and cooperation with countries of origin, transit and destination along the migratory route from the Horn of Africa to Europe. It primarily focuses on smuggling of migrants and trafficking In human beings and, once consolidated, is expected to be further expanded to the other GAMM priority areas. 28 November 2014 Ministerial Conference, Rome Launch of the Khartoum Process and adoption of the Rome Declaration April 2015 First meeting of the Steering Committee, Sharm el Sheik, Egypt The Action Plan was adopted. Participating MS presented over 40 projects for implementation 9 June 2015 Launch of the Regional Development and Protection Programme for the Horn of Africa 23 November 2015 Steering Committee Meeting, London 2 nd Steering Committee Meeting 24 November 2015 Senior Officials Meeting, London 1 st Senior Official Meeting. Approval of rules for steering committee and of the terms of reference of the secretariat. Discussions took place on ongoing and future projects, and well as on implementation of Valletta Declaration and Action Plan. 25 February 2016 (date tbc) Informal working group meeting, Paris Report on progress and follow up on Valetta Summit; discussions on projects including the regional training centre Second half of 2016 Steering Committee Meeting, Addis 3 rd Steering Committee Meeting Ababa November 2016 (tbc) Senior Official Meeting, Addis Ababa 2 nd Senior Official Meeting (G) THE ACP-EU MIGRATION DIALOGUE The ACP-EU Migration Dialogue was launched in June 2010 through a Joint Declaration of the ACP-EU Joint Council. The dialogue is based on Article 13 of the Cotonou Agreement. In May 2011 it was decided to further deepen the dialogue, focusing in particular on the subjects of remittances, visa and readmission, with the specific aim to strengthen the operational aspects of ACP-EU cooperation on these topics. A series of expert meetings took place to this effect, both at expert and Senior Official / Ambassador level. A joint report including recommendations on remittances, visas and readmission was adopted in June 2012 at the ACP-EU Joint Council of Vanuatu. Joint Visa subgroup meeting, technical workshop on return and readmission and experts' seminar on trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants took place in The second Visa working group meeting took place in April 2015, and further actions in the area of readmission and remittances are foreseen to take place in June 2014 Joint ACP-EU Council of Ministers, Nairobi Review of the implementation of Vanuatu recommendations and endorsement of the recommendation of the readmission/return experts' seminar to make this group permanent 5308/16 MC/ml 9

10 9-10 July 2014 Expert meeting on trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants, 28 January 2015 Joint ACP-EU Ambassador meeting, 9 April 2015 Second Visa working group meeting, (meets on biannual basis) May 2015 Joint ACP-EU Council of Ministers, September 2015 Second expert seminar on return and readmission in West African States, Endorsed the conclusions of the expert meeting on THB and SoM and the concept note of the seminar on remittances Discuss visa-related practices and legislation, including the implementation of the Visa Code The JMC adopted the recommendations on trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants Continuation of the established dialogue in line with conclusions of the previous workshop and the Vanuatu recommendations Postponed Seminar on Remittances, Exchange of information, practices and policies in line with the recommendations on remittances endorsed by the ACP-EU Joint Council in June 2012 (G) THE EU-CELAC MIGRATION DIALOGUE The EU and Latin America and the Caribbean countries (CELAC) Structured and Comprehensive Dialogue on Migration was launched in June 2009 following the mandate of the EU- LAC Lima Summit. The EU-CELAC Action Plan, adopted at the 2010 Madrid Summit, calls for further developing this Dialogue. This commitment was renewed during the last EU-CELAC Summit held in in June January 2013 EU-CELAC Summit, Santiago November th EU-CELAC High Level Meeting on Migration, Seminar on new migration trends between the two regions 4 November based meeting Preparations for the High level Meeting 13 November th EU-CELAC High Level Meeting on Migration, June 2015 EU-CELAC Summit, Postponed, date tbd 10 th EU-CELAC High Level Meeting on Migration 5308/16 MC/ml 10

11 Part 2 The bilateral dialogues (A) TURKEY Turkey In 2008 the Council adopted a revised Accession Partnership with Turkey. On 16 December 2013 the EU and Turkey signed a readmission agreement and launched a visa liberalisation dialogue. The readmission agreement entered into force on 1 October 2014.On 29 November 2015 EU and Turkey agreed to cooperation on the Joint Action Plan. 23 June 2014 EU-Turkey Association Council, Luxembourg 16 March 2014 until 20 June 2014 Expert missions carried out in Turkey by the Commission services with the support of experts from EU Member States and agencies to assess the respect by Turkey of the visa liberalisation roadmap requirements 20 October 2014 Adoption by the Commission of the first report on the implementation by Turkey of its visa liberalisation roadmap 18 May th meeting of the EU-Turkey Association Council, 13 July 2015 First meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Readmission Committee, 13 April 2015 until 28 July 2015 Expert missions carried out in Turkey by the Commission services with the support of experts from EU Member States and agencies to assess the respect by Turkey of the visa liberalisation roadmap requirements 29 November 2015 EU-Turkey Migration Summit 14 December 2015 Meeting between Turkish authorities and Commission services, 17 January 2016 Meeting between Turkish authorities and Commission services, Ankara 18 January 2016 EU-Turkey Joint readmission committee meeting, Ankara Early March 2016 Second Commission's report on the implementation by Turkey of the Visa liberalisation roadmap April to September 2016 Expert missions to carried out in Turkey by the Commission services with the support of experts from EU Member States and agencies to assess the respect by Turkey of the visa liberalisation roadmap requirements September 2016 EU-Turkey Joint readmission committee meeting Verification of progress in implementing the visa liberalisation roadmap and the joint action plan Verification of progress in implementing the visa liberalisation roadmap and the joint action plan This meeting will assess in particular whether and how Turkey fulfils the provisions of the readmission agreement related to 5308/16 MC/ml 11

12 Autumn 2016 (possibly last week of September) Third Commission's report on the implementation by Turkey of the Visa liberalisation roadmap third country nationals that it will start applying in June 2016 (B) SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES Morocco The EU-Morocco Association Agreement entered into force in Meetings of the EU-Morocco Social Affairs and Migration Working Group take place once a year. Negotiations on an EU-Morocco readmission agreement are formally ongoing since 2003 but de facto stalled since June 2010.Negotiaions were resumed in January On 13 October 2011 a Dialogue on migration, mobility and security was launched. A Mobility Partnership was signed in June Finalisation of the readmission agreement and the negotiation of a visa facilitation agreement between the EU and Morocco are part of the commitments taken. 4 October 2013 Adoption by the Commission of the draft negotiating directives for an EU- Morocco Visa Facilitation Agreement 5 December 2013 Adoption by the Council of the negotiation mandate on visa facilitation 1-2 April 2014 Commission mission to Rabat Preliminary talks on the visa facilitation and readmission agreement and technical review of the annexes to the Mobility Partnership 19 January 2015 Opening of the negotiations on the EU- Morocco Visa Facilitation Agreement, 20 January 2015 Resume of the negotiations on the EU- Morocco Readmission Agreement, 20 April 2015 High-level Meeting on the Mobility Partnership + Review of the Mobility Partnership scoreboard First semester 2016 (tbc) Second round of negotiations on visa, 17th rounds of negotiations on readmission Due to the EU General Court judgment on 10/12/2015, partly annulling the Council Decision on the Agriculture Agreement with Morocco, several dialogues have been postponed including the next sub-committee on migration and social affairs foreseen to take place on 18 January. The relaunching of the negotiations should have been discussed on that occasion. Tunisia The EU-Tunisia Association Agreement entered into force in Meetings of the EU-Tunisia Social Affairs and Migration Working Group take place once per year. A Dialogue on migration, mobility and security was launched on 6 October A Mobility Partnership 5308/16 MC/ml 12

13 was signed on 3 March A Visa Facilitation and a Readmission Agreement between the EU and Tunisia are part of this partnership. 19 June 2013 EU-Tunisia Association Committee April 2014 Discussions on the Document implementing the Mobility Partnership Declaration ("the Annex"), Tunis 30 July 2014 Adoption by the Commission of the draft negotiating directives for an EU- Tunisia Visa Facilitation Agreement and for an EU-Tunisia readmission agreement April 2015 High-level Meeting on the Mobility Partnership + Review of the Mobility Partnership scoreboard Early 2016 (tbc) Opening of the negotiations on the EU- Tunisia Visa Facilitation Agreement and Readmission Agreement Algeria The EU-Algeria Association Agreement was signed in 2002 and entered into force on 1 September The Commission received a mandate to negotiate a readmission agreement with Algeria in November No negotiation has so far taken place. 10 September 2015 Information session on a Dialogue on migration, mobility and security between the EU and Algeria Information session addressed to all Algerian Ministries concerned by migration in order to help Algeria confirm its readiness to engage in a Dialogue on migration, mobility and security with the EU. Egypt Relations between the EU and Egypt are governed by an Association Agreement since April 2014 Meeting between Ambassador for Egypt and Director General of DG HOME 22 May 2014 Follow-up to above meeting at technical level Ambassador informs that Egypt is prepared to engage in dialogue with the EU on migration-related issues Informal exchange on possible topics to be included in the dialogue, and next steps to be taken. Jordan Relations between the EU and Jordan are governed by an Association Agreement which entered into force in On 12 December 2012, the EU and Jordan launched a Dialogue on Migration, Mobility and Security. On 9 October 2014 the EU and Jordan signed a Mobility Partnership. 5308/16 MC/ml 13

14 Ongoing Discussions on implementation of the Annex to the MP Lebanon In response to the Arab Spring, the first EU-Lebanon ENP Action Plan was revised in The new Action Plan was adopted on 20/06/2014. A Dialogue on Migration, Mobility and Security was launched in December July 2014 Official request from Lebanon to start a Dialogue on Migration, Mobility and Security. Request was discussed with MS at September and October HLWG with agreement to commence Dialogue. 10 December 2014 Launch of EU-Lebanon Dialogue 2-6 March 2015 First expert mission Mission covered asylum, international protection and mobility/facilitation of legal migration. 2-5 June 2015 Second expert mission Mission covered border management, irregular migration and security aspects of migration. December 2015 January 2016 (C) EASTERN PARTNERSHIP COUNTRIES Armenia Draft text of MP submitted to Lebanon Ongoing discussions on draft text EU relations with Armenia are governed by the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which entered into force in In July 2010, the EU and Armenia launched negotiations on a future EU- Armenia Association Agreement to succeed the PCA. A Mobility Partnership was signed on 27 October The Visa Facilitation Agreement was signed on 17 December 2012 and the Readmission Agreement on 19 April Both agreements entered into forced on 1 January March 2014 JLS Subcommittee with Armenia, Yerevan 10 September st EU-Armenia Joint Readmission Committee, Yerevan 9 December 2014 EU-Armenia Cooperation Committee, 20 January 2015 EU-Armenia Cooperation Council, 29 April nd EU-Armenia Joint Visa and Readmission Committee, 17 July 2015 JLS Subcommitte with Armenia, 9 December 2015 Mobility Partnership, High Level Meeting 5308/16 MC/ml 14

15 Azerbaijan EU relations with Azerbaijan are governed by the EU-Azerbaijan PCA which entered into force in Since July 2010 the EU and Azerbaijan are negotiating an Association Agreement to succeed the PCA. An EU migration mission visited Azerbaijan on 16 and 17 June 2011 to further enhance cooperation and dialogue with Azerbaijan on migration issues. A Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan was signed on 5 December The Visa Facilitation Agreement was signed in the margins of the Vilnius Summit of the Eastern Partnership, on 28 November The Readmission Agreement was signed on 28 February Both agreements entered into force on 1 September February 2014 JLS Subcommittee with Azerbaijan, 27 May st EU-Azerbaijan Joint Visa and Readmission Committee, Baku 1 st semester 2016 Mobility Partnership, High level Meeting After the start of the implementation of the Targeted initiative with ICMPD and to be confirmed by AZ authorities Georgia The EU - Georgia Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Trade Agreement, which succeed the PCA of 1999, were signed on 26 June 2014 in. An EU migration mission visited Georgia in The Mobility Partnership between the European Union and Georgia was signed in November Readmission and Visa Facilitation Agreements entered into force on 1 st March In June 2012 a visa dialogue was opened, examining conditions for visa-free travel of Georgian citizens to the Schengen area. The Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP) was presented to Georgia on 25 February The first Commission's progress report of the VLAP was issued on 15 November 2013, the second one in October 2014 and the third was adopted the 8 May The next VLAP report is expected for the end of November 2013 Adoption of 1st Commission progress report on the VLAP 29 October 2014 Adoption of 2 nd Commission progress report on the VLAP 17 November 2014 EU-Georgia Association Council, 8 May 2015 Publication of 3 rd VLAP progress report by the Commission 16 June 2015 JFS Subcommittee with Georgia, Tbilisi 18 December th Commission progress report on the VLAP Early 2016 Mobility Partnership, High Level Meeting Previously scheduled on 26 November Meeting postponed by Georgian side 5308/16 MC/ml 15

16 Republic of Moldova The PCA with Moldova went into force in Negotiations on the Association Agreement to succeed the PCA were launched on 12 January 2010 and the Association Agreement was signed on 27 June 2014 and applies provisionally from 1 September The EU-Moldova visa facilitation and readmission agreements entered into force in January An amended visa facilitation agreement entered into force in July A Mobility Partnership was signed in June In June 2010 a visa dialogue was opened, examining conditions for visa-free travel of Moldovan citizens to the EU. Following the Commission's proposal to amend Visa Regulation 539/2001 of 27 November 2013, Moldova was granted visa-free travel to the Schengen area on 28 April According to figures provided by Moldova, from April 2014 to mid-november 2015 around Moldovans travelled visa-free to the Schengen area. Following the completing of the visa liberalisation process, in the framework of the new ENP, Moldova is pursuing the convergence of its border management with the requirements of the Schengen Catalogue and Schengen Borders Code, and it would like to start cooperation with the EUROSUR system. Additionally, Moldova is seeking to reinforce its cooperation with EASO and Frontex and benefit from capacity building and training. Moldova is seeking to become a pilot country for initiatives of the European Agenda on Migration, namely fostering legal and labour migration channels to the EU. This is in line with the need to rebalance the GAMM priority areas in the Mobility Partnership towards legal migration and migrant centric projects, namely through circular and seasonal migration schemes to the EU. 28 April 2014 Entry into force of visa-free regime for holders of biometric passports 8 July 2014 Extended Local Cooperation Platform, Mobility Partnership, Chisinau 9 December 2014 Mobility Partnership, Senior Officials Meeting, 9 June 2015 EU-Moldova JFS Subcommittee, Chisinau 9 July 2015 Extended Local Cooperation Platform, Mobility Partnership, Chisinau 25 November 2015 Mobility Partnership, Senior Officials Meeting, First half of 2016 June/July th VFA/RA joint committees, Chisinau Extended Local Cooperation Platform, Mobility Partnership, Chisinau Ukraine The PCA entered into force in Negotiations on an EU-Ukraine Association Agreement started in September 2008 and initialled in Ukraine and the EU parliament simultaneously ratified the economic and political parts of the Association Agreement that will on 16 September Economic integration is postponed until the end of The Readmission and Visa Facilitation agreements were concluded in An amended version of the Visa Facilitation agreement with Ukraine entered into force in July In 2008 a visa dialogue was opened, examining conditions for visa-free travel of Ukrainian citizens to the EU. A VLAP was endorsed by the Council on 10 November 2010 and presented by the EU to Ukraine at the EU-Ukraine Summit on 22 November Upon the last Commission's report (27 May 2014) and its Council endorsement (23 June 2014) Ukraine is officially in the second phase of its VLAP 5308/16 MC/ml 16

17 where the state of implementation of the legislative and policy framework is looked at. 26 March 2014 Visa Dialogue Senior Officials Meeting, Kiev 14 May 2014 Joint Visa Facilitation Committee, Kiev September 2014 April 2015 VLAP assessment missions Block I, II, III and IV May 2015 Publication of VLAP progress report by the Commission 3 July 2015 Joint Readmission Committee, Belarus An EU migration mission visited Belarus in On 28 February 2011 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Belarus. The Commission submitted a formal invitation to the Belarusian authorities in June 2011 which was accepted in January The first technical negotiations took place in Minsk in June 2014, the second round in November 2014 in and the last round in March 2015 in Minsk. The results were encouraging, but progress was stalled as some MS have concerns regarding the security of the Belarussian diplomatic passports. The Commission has offered to Belarus expert advice on security standards of diplomatic passports. However, Belarus cannot upgrade its passports without EU's financial assistance and so far has not officially responded to the Commission's proposal. Belarus and the EU agreed on 1 June 2015 on the political declaration for a Mobility Partnership. Signature will be planned as soon as VFA and RA negotiation are concluded. Belarus is expecting EU financial and technical assistance for the development of biometric ID documents, for the digitalisation of the civil registry and for the implementation of the future Readmission agreement. The draft Annex of project areas was approved by the council in November and it is under consideration by Belarus. Belarus has indicated that it would like to reinforce cooperation with EU agencies Europol, Eurojust, Cepol and Frontex, and if possible sign strategic cooperation agreements with them. 30 January 2014 Political launch of EU-Belarus Visa Facilitation/Readmission Agreement negotiations, June 2014 First technical round of VFA/RA negotiations, Minsk November 2014 Second technical round of VFA/RA negotiations, March 2015 Third technical round of VFA/RA negotiations, Minsk 6 March 2015 Endorsement by Council of the draft Joint Declaration of the EU-Belarus Mobility Partnership 26 March 2015 First round of consultations on MP Declaration, Minsk November/December 2015 Discussion in Council and with Belarus of the Annex to the Joint Declaration of the EU- Belarus Mobility Partnership Second half of 2016 (estimated) Signing of the EU-Belarus Mobility Partnership, VFA and RA MS are encouraged to consider specific projects they would like to take part in. 5308/16 MC/ml 17

18 (D) RUSSIA Russia The EU-Russia PCA came into force in Ministerial meetings for Freedom, Security and Justice area (PPC) were organised regularly until the Ukraine crisis. The Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements entered into force on 1 June On 11 April 2011 the Council adopted the mandate for the renegotiation of the Visa Facilitation Agreement. The Visa Dialogue was launched in 2007 and in this context, on 15 December 2011, the Parties agreed on a list of Common Steps which would need to be implemented before the talks on EU-Russia visa waiver agreement might be launched. In March 2014, in the context of the crisis with Ukraine, the EU decided to suspend bilateral talks with the Russian Federation on visa matters (Visa dialogue and amended VFA). Meetings under the Joint Visa Facilitation Committee and Joint Readmission Committee are continuing. In May 2011 Russia and EU launched a Dialogue on Migration. The Dialogue focuses through experts' discussions and field visits on legal migration, migration and development, asylum and other forms of international protection, as well as on addressing irregular migration and trafficking in human beings. In the context of the crisis with Ukraine, the migration dialogue is continuing only at expert level, but without a work programme for The Russian side has agreed that at this stage no senior official meetings of the migration dialogue will be held. EU and Russia have established Senior Officials Meeting on JLS matters which should meet once a year and should constitute the bridge between experts level discussion and political contacts (JLS PPC). Meetings have been discontinued following the start of the Ukraine crisis. 28 January 2014 EU-Russia Summit 6-7 February th meeting of the Migration Dialogue, Stockholm June th meeting of the Migration Dialogue, Moscow 2 July th EU-Russia Joint Readmission Committee 17 December th meeting of the Joint Visa Facilitation Committee between the EU and Russia February th meeting of the Migration Dialogue, Helsinki 3 July th EU-Russia Joint Readmission Committee March/April 2016 (tbc) 9 th meeting of the Migration Dialogue, Moscow First half of 2016 (tbc) Participation of FMS in a meeting of the EU National Contact Points on Integration Theme: International Protection, Migration and Development, and field trip to Swedish asylum facilities Biometrics and migration IT systems Legal/labour migration International protection Addressing e.g. citizenship and language tests as a tool for migrant integration, integration indicators, and the role of civil society and local authorities. 5308/16 MC/ml 18

19 (E) AFRICAN COUNTRIES Cape Verde In 2007 the EU and Cape Verde agreed on a Special Partnership Agreement. An EU migration mission visited Cape Verde in May The Mobility Partnership with Cape Verde was signed in Cape Verde ratified visa facilitation and readmission agreements in October They entered into force on 1 December June 2011 Political dialogue meeting at ministerial level, Praia 8 April 2014 Political Dialogue Meeting at Ministerial Level Explore possible ways to strengthen MP 1 December 2014 Entry into force of the visa facilitation and readmission agreements 5 October 2015 Joint Committees on visa facilitation and readmission 13 October 2015 Political Dialogue Meeting at Ministerial level, Luxembourg Nigeria Ministers welcomed entry into force of Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements. Cabo Verde asked for EU assistance to conclude similar visa facilitation agreements with European States associated to Schengen and with EU MS to which the Agreement does not apply. Parties underlined need to define new priorities to maintain the dynamism of the Partnership. Under the umbrella of the EU-Nigeria Ministerial meetings, several political dialogues session on migration have taken place in the last few years. A Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) was signed on 12 March March 2015 Signature of CAMM at the side of the JHA Council 8-9 July 2015 Local dialogue on migration issues in Abuja Identify priorities for CAMM implementation Ministerial Dialogue in Advance on the implementation of the CAMM Ethiopia The Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) was signed by the EU and Ethiopia on 12/11/2015 aside the Valletta Summit 27 January 2015 The Council took note/approved of the text of the draft joint declaration of CAMM to be negotiated with Ethiopia. February 2015 Transmission to the Ethiopian authorities of a draft text of an EU- 5308/16 MC/ml 19

20 Ethiopia Joint Declaration establishing CAMM. 20 October 2015 HRVP visit to Addis first High Level Dialogue on Migration with Ethiopia 11 November 2015 Signature of CAMM by EC and Council Pdt, HRVP and ETH PM, in Valletta 13 January 2016 Visit of Ethiopian MFA to second High Level Dialogue on Migration with HRVP and Csr Avramopoulos 2-4 February 2016 CAMM implementation technical mission, Addis Ababa Migration was on the agenda of the HRVP for meetings with PM and MFA. Technical discussions took place at the margins of the visit to agree on a text for the CAMM. Migration high on the agenda, particularly EUTF projects and returns and readmission HOME-DEVCO-EEAS + possibly some EU MS South Africa South Africa and the EU entered into a Strategic Partnership in An EU migration mission visited South Africa in September Since then, in the frame of the Joint Cooperation Council, a Migration Dialogue Forum is organised. 10 June 2013 EU/SA Ministerial meeting, 18 July 2013 EU/SA Summit, Pretoria, Pretoria 25 November 2014 Migration dialogue Discussion on border management, Khartoum Process, Rabat Process; GAMM and CAMM and EU visa policy 26 November 2014 EU/SA Joint Cooperation Council (F) ASIAN COUNTRIES China The EU-China comprehensive strategic partnership came into force in China signed an Approved Destination Status Agreement in 2004, facilitating the entry of Chinese tourists into EU Member States and including provisions on readmission. Formal negotiation of an EU readmission agreement, based on 2002 negotiating directives, has not started yet. Negotiation of a PCA, including an article on readmission and visa cooperation, started in At the 14 th EU-China Summit in February 2012 both sides agreed to explore the possibilities of facilitating mobility for Chinese and EU citizens, and strengthen cooperation on illegal immigration, as well as to pay special attention to the question of mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic passports. The 15 th EU-China Summit reiterated these objectives, while calling for the launch an EU- China High Level Dialogue on Migration and Mobility. 14 October 2013 EU-China Migration and Mobility Dialogue, Provided basis for general information exchange and discussed broad parameters of cooperation package on visareadmission November th EU-China Summit Negotiations did not result in the consolidation of above cooperation package. Reply to EU 5308/16 MC/ml 20

21 9 April nd meeting of the EU-China Migration and Mobility Dialogue, Beijing letter on outcome of October HLD was received in September 2014, proposing different parameters than those suggested by the EU. Further exchanges with China are ongoing. Some progress achieved with two outstanding issues on visa application centres and return cooperation 29 June th EU-China Summit The package on the visa, mobility and readmission cooperation was finalised in the form of the joint minutes of the MMD and endorsed by the Summit. 5 November 2015 Meeting on irregular migration, Beijing India The EU-India Co-operation Agreement entered into force in In 2004 the EU and India entered into a Strategic Partnership. The EU-India Joint Action Plan was agreed in 2005 at the Summit in The Hague and revised in 2008 at the eighth EU-India Summit in Marseille. This plan aims to promote among others people-to-people contacts and cultural exchanges. After the first EU-India migration dialogue meeting held in 2006, the December 2010 EU-India Summit emphasised the importance of movement of people, and agreed to deepen cooperation by establishing a regular, comprehensive and structured dialogue on migration issues. The 12 th EU-India Summit discussed possible ways to facilitate mobility a recurring Indian request in parallel with preventing and combating irregular migration. 10 February th EU-India Summit, India, Delhi 2 July 2012 EU-India High Level Dialogue Meeting on Migration and Mobility, Delhi Possible ways to strengthen cooperation with India were discussed, including the establishment of a EU-India working group on migration and mobility and of a CAMM. 30 January 2013 EU-India Ministerial Meeting 4 February nd EU-India Joint Commission Discussions on EU-India "nonpolitical" cooperation, including on migration and mobility. 2 April 2013 Transmission of draft CAMM political declaration to India 16 October 2015 EU-India Subcommittee on economic cooperation First half th EU-India Summit Reply received in May 2015 and exploratory talks took place on June.. India was encouraged to revert to EU including on proposal to continue technical talks that could relaunch CAMM negotiations. 5308/16 MC/ml 21

22 (G) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Relations between the EU and the US have been formalised in 1990 in the Transatlantic Declaration, and further developed in the New Transatlantic Agenda which outlined a new framework for cooperation including a number of areas for joint action. An EU-US Joint Statement endorsed by the EU-US JHA Ministerial Troika in October 2009 (the so-called "Washington Statement") sets out common values and foundations of EU-US cooperation in the JHA area until 2014 and includes a commitment to enhance both political and operational cooperation in various JHA issues. Further to this commitment cooperation has been developed on migration and asylum issues in the context of the EU-US Cooperation Platform on Migration and Refugee issues, launched in Activities include areas such as unaccompanied minors, biometrics, refugee resettlement, trafficking in human beings, development of capacity building for migration management in third countries and contribution of the Diaspora to the development of countries of origin of migration. 26 March 2014 EU US Summit, The Joint Declaration reasserts the objective to reach full visa reciprocity as soon as possible 29 April 2014 Meeting of the Steering Committee of the EU-US Platform for cooperation on migration and refugee issues, 25 June 2014 EU-US JHA Ministerial Meeting, Athens Priority actions for 2014 and consultations ahead of the GFMD September 2014 EU-US Senior Officials Meeting, Rome Agenda includes : Visa reciprocity, ESTA, unaccompanied minors, EU-US Platform on Migration, update on EU Task Force Mediterranean, future migration outlook, update on Smart Borders November 2014 EU-US Ministerial Meeting, Washington On HOME issues, agenda focuses on foreign fighters and organised crime 3-4 February 2015 EU-US Senior Officials Meeting, Riga 2-3 June 2015 EU-US JHA Ministerial Meeting, Riga Agenda focused on counterterrorism; migration management and cybercriminality Statement on JHA cooperation was endorsed 8 9 September 2015 EU-US Senior Officials Meeting, Luxembourg 13 November 2015 EU-US JHA Ministerial Meeting, Washington D.C (H) BRAZIL In the framework of the EU-Brazil Strategic Partnership, established in 2007, Brazil has expressed an interest in enhancing cooperation with the EU on migration and migration related issues, in particular on trafficking in human beings. Following technical exchanges with Brazil, the EU has presented a draft Joint Declaration establishing a CAMM to the Brazilian authorities in January January 2015 Transmission of a draft text of an EU- Brazil Joint Declaration establishing a CAMM with Brazil. 5308/16 MC/ml 22

23 19 November 2015 Reception of Brazilian comments to the EU Joint Declaration document proposal Part 3 - The global processes GLOBAL FORUM FOR MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT The GFMD is an initiative of the UN Member States to address the migration and development nexus in practical and action-oriented ways. It is an informal, non-binding, voluntary and government-led process. The process emerged after the UN High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development on September The second High-level Dialogue on 3-4 October 2013 confirmed the GFMD as a valuable forum for holding frank and open discussions, which has helped to build trust among participating stakeholders. The 8 th GFMD Summit came immediately after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes migration as a recognised development enabler. During Turkey Chairmanship, an important feature was the insertion of forced displacement and refugees on the agenda, not the least due to the Syrian refugee crisis. The current Chair, Bangladesh, 2016, will be followed by jointly Germany and Morocco ( ) October th GFMD Summit, Istanbul Theme: Strengthening Partnerships: Human Mobility for Sustainable Development November th GFMD Summit, Dhaka Theme: Making migration work for development for all Compiled by DG HOME/A3 12 January /16 MC/ml 23